State At A Glance

June 16, 2007

CANTON -- Neil Pade, town planner for Vernon, was named Canton's new director of planning and community development. Chief Administrative Officer Paul Fetherston said Pade distinguished himself from a group of 11 candidates because of his organizational skills, leadership and knowledge in his field. ``We were looking for a commitment to customer service and an ability to bring energy to the department,'' Fetherston said.

DEEP RIVER -- Patricia Conwell can't be sure how many people think her husband, Thomas, Conwell died Tuesday in New Hampshire. She has tried calling as many friends and family members as possible to tell them the reports of his death on news stations and in some newspapers were wrong. She's relieved her husband is alive and recovering, but angry and confused as to why police have not contacted her to apologize for the mistake.

HEBRON -- Two men were sentenced Friday to prison in connection with a 2005 incident that caused more than $650,000 in damage at the Hebron Lions Fairgrounds, home of the Hebron Harvest Fair. Clinton L. Shakir, 20, of Manchester, was sentenced to four years in prison and four years of probation. Corey A. Ristau, 18, of South Windsor, was sentenced to 30 months in prison and four years of probation. Shakir pleaded no contest to third-degree arson, third-degree burglary and first-degree criminal mischief. Ristau pleaded no contest to first-degree criminal mischief and three counts of third-degree burglary.

MIDDLETOWN -- Macdonough School fifth-grader Anthony LeClair has been invited to attend the Junior National Young Leaders Conference in Washington. The conference introduces academically gifted student leaders to the nation's power elite. Which means Anthony will be mixing it up with the likes of Mitt Romney, Janet Reno and Ted Turner. In a school where students have long struggled to meet state goals on standardized tests, Anthony's achievement stands out.

BRISTOL -- Casmir Kulesa, 50, a Bristol man charged with sexually assaulting two young girls and a teenager, accepted a plea deal Friday that will result in a 17-year prison sentence, suspended after six years. Kulesa also will have to register as a sex offender when he is released and will be on probation for 20 years.

PLAINVILLE -- For the past 10 years, the Professional Golfers Association has had Creative Dimensions of Plainville design some of the signs for its annual tournament in Cromwell. But at next week's Travelers Championship, the company will supply all the signs from the tee markers to parking spots for the individual players. Though the company's work for the PGA is its largest project, Creative Dimensions has several other high profile jobs in the works, including set and traveling desk designs for ESPN.

VERNON -- A part-time town employee who works at the transfer station has been charged with second-degree larceny in the theft of scrap metal from the town. Gregory Harris, 46, of Tolland, surrendered earlier this week after learning police had obtained a warrant for his arrest. The town collects the scrap metal, then sells it to scrap metal dealers; the proceeds go to the town's general fund.